I can't believe that it almost Halloween! I wait ALL year for Fall time and when it comes, Halloween just sneaks up on me and then everything else right after Halloween seems to FLY right by! I might as well be ringing in the new year on Nov. 1 because I will blink and it will be 2014.

This is always a funny time of year for me. My hubby always says that I never get to truly enjoy the holidays because I'm always so worried that it'll be over soon. It's sad but true. It's like that feeling when you wake up really early before your alarm and try to go back to sleep because you only have "1 more hour before your alarm rings" then you toss and turn and now you think you only have "45 mins left before the alarm goes off" and then the mental countdown begins until your time runs out. THIS is how I feel every year because I feel like I want to do so much. BUT not this year. This year 2013 will NOT get away from me because I used my awesome teacher skills (haha!) to backwards map everything that I want to accomplish as far as things to do with my family and friends and parties that I want to throw. My calendar looks a bit busy, but it's a fun busy! :) I will let y'all know how it all turns out and if I indeed stuck to my calendar. :)

Today I am linking up with Doodle Bugs for her Five for Friday linky party.

1.

This is our infamous swamp juice. Kids LOVE it!

1. One of the parties that I backwards mapped into this fall season was my annual pumpkin carving party. I am bummed that I didn't take more pictures of the night since I was partly running around making sure everything was fine and party just enjoying the night. We carve pumpkins, do crafts, sometimes watch a kid friendly Halloween movie outside projected on a bed sheet, and just have plain ol' fun! It was a very fun and successful night! Kids were on all sorts of sugar high then we sent them home. Ha!

Silly Sock day to "Sock it to Drugs"

This little guy was siting at my elmo projector being my "teacher" for the lesson.

Teaching the class with a little help from the chair

Brain break: gummy bear dance! They LOVED it!!

2. I've mentioned before that I have a pretty tough class this year. I come home EXHAUSTED every day that I work. I am so glad that I am job sharing this year or I think I would just be so useless when I get home everyday. This week though was different. The students were GREAT! I mean, we had fun AND I was able to teach everything that I had on my lesson plans this week... which NEVER happens with this class.

3. I posted this Question Starter freebie that you can get here. It comes with 4 different choices and it's poster size... 25" x 33"!! I needed this in my classroom and hope that you can use it, too. I would love for you to leave a quick feedback if you do grab it. :) Thanks!

4. This year a couple of us were trained in Thinking Maps and then trained the teachers at our site. I REALLY love thinking maps and the kids have really caught on. I even write notes to myself now using a thinking map. LOL. Anyways, this was just an example of something that we did in class. What I love about these maps is that you don't have to teach something new because, you know... it's not like you have unlimited time to implement all new things into your daily schedule. You can use thinking maps with what you already teach. I love that my students are really starting to see things organized in this way.

5. This didn't happen this week but when I came across this picture, it just made me smile. I love that my little 6 yr old boy can read now and he loves to read to his little sister. This is my little Joshua reading a bedtime story to his 3 yr old sister, Karis. He is ALL boy but she sure has softened some parts of his heart. :) *sigh*

Have you heard??? TPT reached 100K likes on their FB page!! That is such exciting news because that means more and more teachers are using TPT for amazing resources. I know that I have been so inspired by these amazing teachers who push me to constantly change and stay up on the current.

TPT is throwing a celebration sale! It's only from 10/12-10/14 so don't wait!!! Empty those wish list items now before the sale is gone! That is what I'm gonna be this weekend.

Ok... so I guess posting once a week is just gonna be the norm around here until life slows down a bit... which is really like.......NEVER! There are SO many things that I want to post about but then I get home ... and remember the rocking and drooling in the corner I talked about in this post??? Yea.. that sets in and then it's all downhill from there. BUT today... today, I'm a day early to linky party. Never mind that I can't get it together for tomorrow's post so I found some time to post today... let's just call it a small blogging victory. :)

Today I am linking up with Doodle Bugs for her Five for Friday linky party...because although I'm crazy busy, I can't resist a party that I don't have to brush my teeth or even put on make up for. So I'm here...early...... and boy do I look... um... fabulous. ;)

1. I FINALLY went to the optometrist this week. My eyes have been getting worse, but after the last couple of months of not being able to see street signs, which makes finding new places an adventure and other drivers mad and thinking that I'm a typical Asian driver and then not knowing which of my children I was speaking to (no, not really.... but you get the picture)... I figured it was really time to get these eyes checked out. Anyways, I got new glasses coming in next week <---- oh, that was after the young little miss eye doctor reminded me that I was quickly approaching 40yrs old and that my eyes were "changing" just like the rest of my body will. Oh yeah, you little sweet optometry school graduate?? You're perky little body will also change soon enough...mmmmkay?? Sheeesh!!! Kids these days! Hahaha!!! So as I was trying on glasses, my Little Miss K thought she would try some on, too.

SE.RI.OUS.LY! How does SO MUCH cuteness fit into this little body??!!!

2. My class is a bit rough this year. It's taken longer than usual to get them where I want them to be. Usually by this time of the year, we are all set in our routines and everyone knows that they are expected to do. This class will get there.. but they're just taking the scenic route. LOL. Anyways, I HAD to shoot a quick video of them working so awesomely (just made that word up right now) this week. I love putting on some classical music on my Pandora and watching them work away. I was really proud of them!

3. It's Fall Y'ALL!!! I love this weather! I love all things apple and pumpkin!! I got to decorate my house and have the first fire of the season. :)

4. As a reward for working so diligently on my TPT units, my hubby surprised me with a Keurig!!! I hear it brews magic liquid. :) HE.IS.THE.BEST!

5. Sooo... the optometry appointment, the Keurig, the crossed eyedness (another made up word just right now).... it all culminates here. I've been working my tail off to create my next unit for our language arts curriculum. I just finished theme 3 and 300+ pages and a prescription for a new pair of glasses later... we have this....

*** UPDATE: If you are interested in any of these Thinking Maps (above pics) and MANY more with Depth and Complexity icons, please take a look at my Print and Go Thinking Maps with Depth and Complexity unit. ALL maps come with samples and are EDITABLE so that you can tailor it to the needs of your classroom. :)

Ok.. Ok... So I'm going to admit that I am just plain horrible at keeping up with my poor little blog. I tried to hide it, and even lie to myself... but as the school year progressed and then add in sports, homework, TPTing, mommy and wifey duties.... I'm just a mess at night! By the time night time rolls around, I am useless and just want to spend the rest of my day rocking back and forth in the corner of my living room. How do you super mama teachers out there do it?? ANY advice would be greatly appreciated!

So I am here linking up with Farley at Oh Boy 3rd Grade. I like parties... so here I am.. useless and all... BUT I'm here! Haha!!

Listening: I love watching X Factor. I love the judges this year!

Loving: I job share so I work Mon- Wed. This week my principal has me going to a Thinking Maps workshop on Thursday and Friday so I switched my working days to Wed-Fri and so my awesome principal got me a sub for Monday and Tuesday. Yay!!

Thinking: I NEED glasses! My eyes are killing me and it's gotten to the point that I'm having constant headaches.

Wanting: Like I mentioned... I want to get more blogging done. I'm not ignoring my blog on purpose...... I promise. I just need more hours in the day. I am seriously open to any help in this area!

Needing: I need to shed my winter coat! This is fall y'all there is SO much good food! I need to lose so that I can gain! :)

Trick or Treat: My treat is chai tea with soy! Since this is fall ... I love all things pumpkin and apples!! That is why I need to shed my winter coat!! LOL